Some of the most popular side dishes on the Chinese grilling menu are; eggplant, potato, mushrooms and steamed bread (mantou). They’re all served on skewers and seasoned with cumin based spices. After hosting a few grilling events, I found out that my guests love the grilled potato the best. So today I’m using it as an example to show you the basic seasonings and technique for grilled vegetables.

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Unlike the grilled potatoes that you’re familiar with, we slice the potato very thinly (about 4-mm or 1/8-inch). These slices require more attention during cooking as you grill them directly on the fire and need to flip them often. But the result is very rewarding. The potato will blister and crisp up perfectly on the surface while the inside remains creamy. The cumin powder and chili powder add a kick to the mild potato and makes the taste vibrant. You can choose to melt a small chunk of butter at the end. And man, it is simply irresistible!

There are only two things you need to consider to ensure perfectly grilled potatoes;

Use plenty of oil to coat the potato slices (otherwise they will dry out instead of crisp up during the cooking).

Be generous with the cumin powder and sprinkle a bit more at the end of cooking. The cumin powder loses its aroma on the high heat and some will drip away with the oil. So always re-season them right before you’re done cooking.

I assure you that your guests will not stop snacking on these potatoes after eating all the delicious main dishes!

Instructions

Spread potato slices on a large tray and drizzle with olive oil. Use a pair of tongs to toss potatoes to ensure both sides are coated with oil.

Season with salt and generously sprinkle with cumin powder and cayenne powder.

Heat up the grill to build a modified two zone fire. Place the potato slices directly on the fire. Cook until both sides are charred and the inside is cooked through. If the potato slice is still a bit tough, move it to indirect heat and let it cook until tender. Sprinkle with another layer of cumin powder and place a small chunk of butter on top (optional). Leave slices on the grill until the butter is melted.

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Hi I'm Maggie Zhu! Welcome to my site about modern Chinese cooking - including street food, family recipes, and restaurant dishes. I take a less labor-intensive approach while maintaining the taste and look of the dish. I am originally from Beijing, and now cook from my Austin, Texas kitchen.

6 thoughts on “Chinese Grilled Potato”

Wow Maggie– I’ve grilled sweet potatoes, but never white potatoes- I have no idea why! These look so delicious, I am pulling out white potatoes to throw on with my chicken tonight. And these spices sound perfect! Thanks for the inspiration!

Hi, I love sweet potatoes cooked this way too. It brings out the sweetness of the potatoes. Where did you buy your charcoal grill? I live in NC and have been searching for a rectangular box type charcoal grill like that for ages.

I love grilled sweet potatoes too! I usually serve the grilled ones with a bit sugar or just a touch of butter instead of savory spices. I’ve got my grill on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aiyo5c (thank you internet!) I talked about my experience using the grill in this post, in case you’d like to learn more: https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-bbq-party/

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Hi, I’m Maggie!

Welcome to my site about modern Chinese cooking, Asian inspired dishes, and classic recipes cooked in my small Austin Kitchen. When it comes to cooking, getting the best taste is always my priority, but I try to take a less labor-intensive approach. Originally from Beijing, now I live in the US and travel around the world. Start browsing recipes right away or you could learn more about me here.